Apparatus for elevating liquids.



PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906. H. G. OBLENESS & E. G. MERWIN.

APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1,

auventoufl Malawi/amass 16.. Me 2* u/ i No. 814,072. 7 PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906.

H. O. O BLENESS & E. C. MERWIN. APPARATUS FOR ELBVATING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

" attoznu anuenliow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' HARRY C. OBL ENESS ANl) ERWIN G. MERWIN, OF ATHENS, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING LIQ UIDS.

l No. 814,072.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY O. OBLENEss and ERWIN O. MERWIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of Athens and State of Ohio, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements-in Ap aautomatically operated entirely with resultbe had to the following description and ac ant advantages of obvious import.

The invention includes the use of a compressor, of a compressed-air reservolr, suitable liquid-reservoirs adapted to alternately receive the liquid which is discharged therefrom under pressure of the compressed air led from the compressed-air reservoir, and special means whereby the compressed air used for discharging the liquid from the liquid-reservoirs is again admltted to the compressor for recompression. i

The invention also embodies peculiar valve mechanism which will appear more fully as the description proceeds.

For a full description of theainvention and the merits thereof and also to acquire aknowl-' edge'of the detailsof construction of the means for efiecting the result reference is to companying drawings, in which Figure 1 1s a view, partially in section and partially in elevation, of an apparatus embodying the invention, one of the liquid-reser-voirs having the liquid discharge therefrom, the main valve being open to the filled liquid-reservoir preparatory to discharge of the liquid therefrom under the pressure of the compressed air. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the positionof the main valve being reversed, one of the puppet-valves being shown open in dotted lines and the auxiliary valve connected therewith having been actuated to a position establishing communica' tion between the pressure-chamber and the compressed-air reservoir;

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in both the views of the drawings by the, same reference characters.

(indicated at 3) with a supply-pipe 4 directly connected with a strainer 5. Any'suitable inlet may be provided for the reservoirs 1 and 2, however. Air-pipes 6 and 7 connect with the reservoirs 1. and 2, respectively, at one end, the opposite ends of the air-pipes bein connected with a valve-chamber 8, in whic operates the valve 9, composed of the heads 9 and 9 having piston fit in the chamber 8. a

The compressed-air reservoir is indicated at 10 and is connected by a pipe 11 with the valve-chamber 8. The reservoir 10 is supplied by a compressor 12 of any suitable type, a pipe 13 connecting the compressor with the reservoir. The compressor is also connected with the valve-chamber 8 by means of a suction-pipe 14, the latter communicating or directly leading to an-air-passage 15, preferably located at the upper portion of the chamber 8, said air-passage 15 Patented March 6, 1906. 1

communicating at its'ends', as shown at 16, r

with the interior of the valve-chamber.

, 'A suitable discharge ipe 17 having branches 18 leading direct y into the reservoirs 1 and 2', leads off to a suitable oint of discharge for the liquid or water, an checkvalves 19 are disposed in the length of the I branch pipes 18 to prevent the water or liquid from flowing back into the reservoirs 1 and 2 after being forced into the pipe 17.

A pressure-chamber 20 is used in connection with the Valve-chamber 8 and may be supported by any suitable means adjacent sai chamber 8. Operating in the pressurechamber 20. is a piston 21, having a pistonrod 22 suitably connected with the valve9, so as to actuate said valve as the piston is moved. The piston 21 is operated b'ypressure alternately at opposite sides thereof, and

for this purpose the pressure-chamber 20 is supplied with a pressure medium at opposite ends (indicated at a: and w) by means of pipes 23 and 24. The pipe 23 is connected XIO with a slide-valve chamber 25*, in which operates an auxiliary slide-valve 25, the chame ber 25 being connected by a short pipe B to a second auxiliary slide-valve 26, and this valve governs the admissionof compressed air to the chamber through the said pipe 24. The pipe A connects with the chamber 26', and passage of the compressed air from the ipe A throu h theapipe 24 is governed .by tlievalve 26a oresai The pipe 24 connects with the end w of the chain er 20. The

' auxiliary slide-valves and 26 are adapted to operate so as to permit the pipes 23 and 24 to be open to the exterior atmosphere at 27 and 28, each of the valve-chambers 25* and 26 having an 0 en end, lplreferably, for the above purpose, t ough w 'ch the air or fluid actuating piston 21 when exhausted from the pressure-chamberr26 asses.

Located in the length 0 theair-pipes 6 and 7 are valve-compartments 29 and 30, respectively, the same communicating with the pipes with which they are connected and provided with openings normally closed by means of puppet-valves 31 and 32, respectively. Springs 33 are preferably utilized to keep the puppet-valves 31 and 32 adjusted, although evers and weights may be used to accom plish the same purpose, and the stems 34 of said valves 31 and 32 are operably connected in any suitable mannerto accomplish the desired'r'esults with the auxiliary slide-valves 25"and 26. Thestem 34 of the valve 31 con nects with the valve 25, whereas the valve 32 is simil'arlyconnected with the valve 26..

It will be understood that the pipe A need not necessarily be connected directly with the pipe 11', as shown in the drawings; but it may be connected with the chamber 8 at a oint which will always be intermediate the eads 9" and 9 The above is a more simple construction and answers the same purpose with regard to the supply of compressed" .air'to the pipes 23 and 24.

A descri tion of the operation of the invention w'i bringlout the advantages of the structure set fort When the parts of the pparatus are in the positions il ustrated in ig. 1, the main valve .9 is so disposed with regardto the location of the valve-heads 9* and 9 that the compressed air from the reservoir 10 is assing into the valve chamber 8 throu liithe pipe 11 and through said valvecham er 8 between the heads 9*.and 9 into the air-pipe 7 to the water-reservoirQ. The Water-reservoir 2 is filled with water, and this water is being expelled or discharged therefrom by the compressed air, which forces the water through the branchpipe l3 and out I through the discharge -'pipe 17, the inletvalve 3 of the reservoir 2 bein closed. The compressor in this operation 18 at the same time exhausting the air from the reservoir 1, said air having been previously forced into said reservoir to discharge its contents, the suction of j the compressor created through the suctioni e 14, which communicates with .the chandler 8, tending to create a vacuum in the reservoir 1, the air-passage 15 bein open to the pipe 6 at one end, as shown clear y in Fig. 1. he tendency to create a vacuum, due'to the action'of the com ressor- 12, in the reservoir 1 and the pipe 6 wi effect automatic opening of the (puppet-valve 31 at a predetermined time, an in so openin the connection between said valve 31 an the auxiliary slide-valve 25 is such that the slidevalve 25 is moved to'connect the pipe 23 with the pipe B which leads from the pipe A, permitting the compressed air to pass from the pipe 11 to pipe A, pipe 18, between the heads of the valve 25, and thence through, the pipe 23 into the end a; of the chamber 20, where it will bear against the side of the piston 21, forcing the said piston toward the OJPOSltG end of the chamber 20, reversing t e position of the valve 9., When the puppet-valve 31 is opened, free air is of course drawn into the pipe 6, and as soon as the suction in the pi e 6 is relieved the valve 31 automatica y closes, cutting the pipe 23 out of communication with the pipe B by moving the valve 25.

When the valve 9 is reversed, the head 9 of said valve will cut off communicationv be tween the portion of the chamber 8 receiving IIO before withrelation to the valves 31 and 25.

When the valve 32 opens, the slide-valve 26 is moved to connect the pipe 24 with pipe A and compressed air passes through the pipe A into the chamber 26 and through the pipe 24 into the end w of the pressure-chamber loss is compensated for by the air which is ad.-

mitted upon opening of the valves 31 and 32 in theoperation which-has been'before described. I When, howeven-it is desired to use other pneumatic tools or operate other machinery by the same compressor 12, a pressure-regulated device is utilized for admitting air directly to the compressor, this being necessary, due to the fact that in the use of other tools operated by the said compressor 12 an increased amount of compressed air is permitted to escape to the atmosphere after it has done its Work and the pressure in the reservoir would be decreased to a point below the minimum necessary for o 613131011 of the devices with no free air sup'ip ied ,to the compressor. It is thus designs to provide an air-inlet pipe 35 directly connected with the suctionpipe 14 adjacent the .point of juncture of said pipe 14 with the compressor, and free air is adapted to be admitted into the pipe 35 accordlng to the operation of a pressure-regulator, which is adapted to actu' sure coacting with the piston 38 to hol the lever in such a position that said-valve prevents entrance of air into the pipe 35. decrease of the pressure in the reservoir 10 the piston 38 is relieved to acertain extent and moves upwardly under actu'ationof the Weight .43, and the lever 40 .pulli downwardly upon the valve 36, will open t e same and'air will be drawn into the'compressor through the pipe35 to an extent suflicient to increase the pressure in the reservoir 10 to a maximum in a'mar'mer which will: be apparent. It will be noted that a diaphragm or similar pressure-operated device may be substituted for the pistons 38 and 21 within thev contemplation of the invention and accomplish the same desirable results.

Havin' thus described the invention, what is claime as new is v 1. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination of a'p'air of water-reservoirs, a discharge for said reservoirs, a valve-chamber, air-pipes connecting the valve-chamber and water-reservoirs, a main valve operating in said valve-chamber and governin the supply of air to'the air-pipes aforesai a compressed air reservoir connected with the valve-chamber, a compressor, a suction-pipe connectingthe compressor and valve-cham ber, a pressureactuated device connected with the .inain valve, independent valved connections with the compressed-air reservoir arranged to supply pressure at opposite rovided with a balance-weight 43 sides of the pressure-actuated device, the valves of the mentioned connections being operable by suction of the compressor.

2. In an apparatus of the type described,

the combination of a pair of Water-reservoirs,

. a discharge for said reservoirs, a valve-chamber, air-pipes connecting the valve-chamber and water-reservoirs, a main valve operating in said valve-chamber and governing the supply of air to the air-pipes aforesaid, a compressed-air reservoir connected with the valve-chamber, a compressor, .a suction-pipe connecting the compressor and valve-chamber, a with t e mam valve, '1ndependent valved connectionswith the compressed air reservoir arranged to supply pressure at opposite sides of the pressure-actuated device the I valves in the length of' the last 1 mentioned connections being operated by suction of the compressor created in the length of the air- 7 "13. In .an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a palr of water-reservoirs, a discharge for said'reservoirs, a valve-chamressureactuated device connected her, a main valve operating in said chamber,

air-pipes connecting the valve-chamber and the water-reservoirs, a compressed-airreser- V011 connected with the valve-chamber, a

compressor, a suction pipe connecting the com ressor and'the valve-chamber, whereby an orced into the water-reservoirs to dlscharge water therefrom, may be returned to the compressor, means for actuating the main valve aforesaid, air-inlets in the length of the ,air-pipes aforesaid between the points of 0011-. nectionof the same with the water-reservoirs and the valve-chamber, and valves for said inlets operable by suction of the compressor. 4. In an apparatus ofthe class described, the combination of a pair of Water-reservoirs, a discharge for said reservoirs, a valve-chamber, a main valve operating in saidchamber,

air-pipes connecting the valve-chamberand' the water-reservoirs, a compressed-air reservoir connected with the valve-chamber, a compressor, a suction-pipe connecting the com ressor and the valve-chamber, whereby jair orced into the water-reservoirs to dis- "chargewater therefrom, may be returned to the compressor, means for actuating the main ,va'lve aforesaid, air-inlets for supplying air to the compressor, valves for said air-inlets operable by action of the compressor, anda pressureoperated device for actuating the main valve and controlled by the valves of the air-inlets aforesaid.

5. In an apparatus of the class described,- the combination of a pair of water-reservoirs,

a discharge for said reservoirs, a valve-chamher, a main valveoperatmg 1n said chamber,

airpipes connectingthe valve-chamber and the Water-reservoirs, a compressed-air reservoir connected with the valve-chamber, a

compressor, a suction-pipe connecting the compressor and the valve-chamber, whereby air orcedinto the water-reservoirs to discharge water therefrom, may be returned to thecoinpressor, means for'ac'tuating the main valve aforesaid, air-inlets in the length of the air-pipes between the" points of connection thereof with the water-reservoirs and the, valve-chamber, puppet-valves for said airinlets operable by suction of the com ressor, a pressure-chamber, a piston arrange in sald chamber and connected with the main valve,

pipes connecting the compressed-air reservoir. wlth the ressure-chamber to supply pressure at opposlte sides of the piston, and auxiliary valvesconnected With'the uppet-valves and governing the supply of t e compressed air rom thecompressed-air reservoir to the presf sure-chamber through the-connecting-pipes.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a pair of water-reservoirs, a discharge for said reservoirs, a valve-chamber, a main valve operating in said chamber, airpipes connectingv the valve-chamber and the water-reservoirs, a compressed-air reservoir connected with the valve-chamber, a compressor, a suction-pipe connecting the com ressor and the valve-chamber, whereby air orced into the water-reservoirs to dis charge Water therefrom may be returned to the com ressor, means for actuating the main valve a oresaid, and an air-inlet. for the compressor controlled by the; pressure in the com; pressed-air reservoir.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a pair of water-reservoirs, a discharge for said reservoirs, a valve-chamber, a main valve operating in said chamber,

air-pipes connecting the valve-chamber and the water-reservoirs, a compressed-air reservoir connected with the. valve-chamber, a.

compressor, a suction-pipe connecting the com ressor and the valve-chamber, whereby air orced into the water-reservoirs to discharge wat'er therefrom may be returned to the com ressor, means'for actuating the main valve a ,oresaid, an air inlet for the compressor, and a valve governing said air-inlet of the compressor and controlled by variation in pressure in the compressed-air reservoir.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a pair of water-reservoirs, a compressed-air reservoir arranged to supply erning the supply of air from the compressedair reservoir to the waterreservo1rs, a compressor, and an air-inlet for the compressor controlled by variation of pressure in the compressed-air reservoir.

air to the water-reservoirs,jvalve means gov 9. In an apparatus of the class described,

' ARRY C. OBLENESS. [L. s]

ERWIN C. MERWIN. s] Witnesses:

H. H. WIoKnAM,

W. B. LAWRENCE. 

